Donegal Pete, then and now

Wasn't going to comment on the pipes, 1985 vs. 2017--it isn't necessary--but, just wondering about the mentality in the company that thinks this rustication is OK (the 2nd pipe below) on a pipe costing over $12.00. I read somewhere, I think in P&T, that nobody at Peterson's actually smokes a pipe. Apparently ignorance born of that abstention spills over into aesthetics. Or something...

Last edited by Richard Burley on Sat Mar 25, 2017 3:53 pm; edited 1 time in total

There is NO comparison to the then and now Pete!! The now Pete is set up on a lathe and a computer program does the so called rustication. I know many pipe smokers enjoy their Pete's but I would not spend a dime on a new one! Just my opinion and I'm not trying to piss off any of you Pete lovers. After my experience working on two newer Pete's that had a lacquer finish and bubbled, that was it for me and a pipe smoking buddy. Looks much better now the way I rusticated and stained the briar. It's been at least 15 years since Peterson made a decent pipe!

The difference is shocking! I'm sorry but my 2 y.o. granddaughter could do a better job of that. Last years St. Patrick's Day pipes from them still had a decent craggy rustication. I'm guessing from that, that they still rusticate the more expensive pipes by hand and lines like the Donegal just get what they think is adequate. That's a truely sad state of affairs. I would be embarrassed to own that second pipe. If you like Pete's go ahead and buy I guess just be prepared to rusticate and refinish your new pipes.

First, I own Pete's; some very old and a very few newer ones. I like their shapes and styling...However, their QC is damn near non-existent!!! Sneaky, hidden, obviously covered up, fills in their briars just totally piss me off Never again unless I were to come across a very old model made eons ago!! FTRPLT

The last new Peterson I purchased was in 1995, with a gift certificate. My Peterson purchasing days are over. The name Peterson means something, but the lack of quality control speaks louder. I will enjoy the pipes I have.

Peterson's QC is atrocious these days, even the nicer pipes (POY that kind of thing) are not finished well. Drilling is erratic, stem work non-existent. At 60 bucks I get it, but over 100 things should be better imho.

To be honest: I would put ANY of my $30.00 to $45.00 Aldo's I've purchased in the past 20 years against ANY Peterson made since 1995! NO fills on any of my Aldo's and all the draft holes are spot on and superb smokers. You don't have to spend BIG BUCKS to get a quality pipe. Savinelli is NOT what it use too be! Just my extra 2 cents!!

I had a cheap Italian-made "basket" pipe with a rustication very much like that years ago (by basket pipe I mean the ones out of the basket on the counter). I doubt I paid more than $10 for it but whatever it was it was way too much. Always hated it and don't remember where it went...and frankly don't care

From my recent experience sending a Peterson back for stem replacement I can attest that their customer service is as bad as the product they're currently putting out. Sad.

Makes me sad to see it, but Petes are not what they used to be, and the drop off seems recent, particularly in the last few years. I'm glad I have a dozen of the earlier pipes. My older rusticated Petes have a natural look and feel which I like very much. The newer efforts look like they were carved by a computer programmed to appear somewhat natural to beginner smokers who don't yet know what to look for. Pete, you're not fooling anyone, except possibly yourselves. One time, not that long ago, a Pete looked and felt solid and distinctive, not so, the new stuff. You're harming your brand which has been one of the oldest, most easily recognized and most respected by smokers. I'm tempted to say that cost accountants should not be given final say in product design.

Ugh. The new one that is. Fugly. Didn't realize Peterson had started producing such mutts.

I will say however that I've a few newer Petes and they are fine in all regards. Last one was an XL26 which was a bit of a one-off facilitated through the Black Swan Shoppe in the UK who dealt directly with Peterson and their managing director on my behalf. So that obviously had something to do with it.

And yet I've a newer Kapp Royal 80S that is a very nice pipe. That's a regular factory offering bought maybe 4-5 yrs ago. Had the bowl coating removed first by a member here. Nice piece of briar. No fills I can see, and that's a light finish on the Kapp Royal line. Handsome pipe.

Also splurged on the Sherlock Holmes Hopkins when it was released a while ago, maybe 8 yrs? Very well made and executed as has become a special and favourite pipe. OK, so maybe that's down to the higher cost but it didn't break the bank either. Back then it was on par with some of the artisan pipes.

Peterson represents a significant amount of real estate in my modest collection. Might have about 18-19 of them, but I'm too lazy to do a count right now. And many of them are estates from various vintages. Oldest one I have is from riff raff, a 999 Donegal Rock from the early 60's. Probably a replacement stem but it's a tremendous smoker. And the rustication is miles away from that abortion in the second pic above!

Several others I picked up new around '00/'01, and they have been consistently been great smokers.

All to say, I'm a huge fan of Peterson from a certain period and viewpoint. If the QC/QA has gone south in their regular offerings recently I haven't born witness to it.

Still love my Petes; of the 13 in my rack the oldest are two pre-republics - a pot, and a billiard with an over-reamed bowl and a cracked wall that may be one of all time favorite pipes. Fifteen years or so ago I bought a new Sherlock Holmes Mycroft from an overseas dealer whose name I've forgotten (unspectacular wood but a good smoker; recently returned to Peterson's for a P-lip stem to replace the fishtail it came with); in 2013 I bought a new Sherlock Holmes Moran through Black Swan (great grain and an awesome pipe) and last year I got an estate Mark Twain on the bay that's c. 1985 (again, only average wood but a nice pipe). So I'm really not in a position to criticize newer Peterson's, and frankly I'm not in the market for any new ones anyway; however if the one that RB posted is indicative of the current output I can certainly live without any.

Still love my Petes; of the 13 in my rack the oldest are two pre-republics - a pot, and a billiard with an over-reamed bowl and a cracked wall that may be one of all time favorite pipes. Fifteen years or so ago I bought a new Sherlock Holmes Mycroft from an overseas dealer whose name I've forgotten (unspectacular wood but a good smoker; recently returned to Peterson's for a P-lip stem to replace the fishtail it came with); in 2013 I bought a new Sherlock Holmes Moran through Black Swan (great grain and an awesome pipe) and last year I got an estate Mark Twain on the bay that's c. 1985 (again, only average wood but a nice pipe). So I'm really not in a position to criticize newer Peterson's, and frankly I'm not in the market for any new ones anyway; however if the one that RB posted is indicative of the current output I can certainly live without any.

I have a Kinsale XL22 that is the same shape as this Mycroft (pretty sure), and I have been very happy with it except that the stem is not a p-lip. I have two other Kinsales that have the p-lip and have found I prefer it on the Petes...

I have a Kinsale XL22 that is the same shape as this Mycroft (pretty sure), and I have been very happy with it except that the stem is not a p-lip. I have two other Kinsales that have the p-lip and have found I prefer it on the Petes...

Yes; I know a lot of folks don't like the P-lip, but to me it's just one of those things that makes a Peterson a Peterson. My Mycroft was the only Pete I had with a fishtail; ordered it with a P-lip but it came in wrong and I didn't want to wait for a replacement. It's now been put right .

I'm fully aware that some find the P-lip uncomfortable, and in fact I have a Millennium Dublin which, if I'm completely honest, might be more comfortable with a fishtail. But I'd never dream of changing it .

I typically don't like any Petes. The only new ones I like are their Antique series, and that is because the shapes are old as hell. Their rustication has always been bonkers to me. I'm of the opinion that no pipe manufacturer should rusticate anything. Sandblast it or leave it. To each his/her own, I guess.

I've known some pipers who think there is something just w r o n g about taking a perfectly good hunk of briar and finishing it in a way that is pretentiously unartful. If you want the natural look,why not just just use it as a Fido Fetch toy for a few hours? Still, I like the rusticated look a lot and have argued, in a nice way, of course, that the rugged finish helps Mr. Dropit hang on, especially in chilly weather. Yep, to each his own. But for me, the rustication has to look natural, not just a semi-random, computer-designed, repeated pattern.